In brief, the goal is to identify and define “panpsychism”. (a very ancient philosophy implying ALL things are aware and exhibit a hierarchy of consciousness.). Unusual uses of geometry, swims, and “staedic” thermodynamic principles (proposed by Professor Ralph Tykodi over a half century ago) are to be employed to infer its measure. Energy, as “vitalistic” work, can evolve.
Panpsychism is a subject of great interest for philosophers. Most scientists shun the concept. A “hidden” existing system state governs consciousness? Yet, the original intent of physics was, and is still, the origin and existence of ALL things.
Dr. Tykodi was of philosophic bent, specializing in thermodynamics. He published three tomes, the first (Thermodynamics of Steady States) suggesting (pp 183-4) “thermotics” to classify all “heat” processes. Then, thermo-statics, thermo-staedics, and thermo-dynamics clearly define system states with distinct role(s) of time.
As his graduate student in 1959, I then did not appreciate possible importance. Now, after some 40 years of fumbling for real answers, “staedic” swimming long hours (up to 40), and including Plato’s geometry in the subject “troika”, I visualize realistic tactics to pursue panpsychism as a word for a “hidden” goal.
In sum, the activity seeks real answers to the question: “Are we Masters of our world (Einstein’s determinism) or are we Slaves to it (Feynman’s probablism, which is remarkably successful)?” Panpychism, hidden but made real, can resolve the many controversies between beliefs of religion and facts of physics. Its reality would guide clearer understandings in our present day world.

4. What done so far? 237 words
Roger Penrose’s 1,045 pages of Road to Reality, the final statement, “…Perhaps,…something that we all have missed….”, sparked reviews of my works, Tykodi’s, and others, via e-mails and googling, to identify several hundred “roads”.
Entropy, time, geometry, and a “hidden” unoccupied space (Kepler’s conjecture) relate. I discovered (not readily apparent in literature) that inscribed spheres in a regular tetrahedron, having exactly the same surface-to-volume ratios (A/V) may invoke thermo-staedic “equilibrium”. Thus, juxtaposition of two geometric structures change energy like the usual variables of heat and work.
Manipulating dimensionless A3/2 /V (same at all sizes) arrived at a value suspiciously close to the dimensionless photon-electron constant, α. (Details are in Chapter 7, titled “Thermodyamics and Panpsychism, Explored” published in a 2011 book, Philosophy of Evolution). I since have used Mathematica 7 to make simple tetrahedral structure changes to achieve α’s exact experimental value.
The real units of reality are length, mass, and time, e.g. MKS. In these units, charge is Kg1/2 m 3/2sec-1 by the similar form of charge and gravity laws. Based on Millikan’s measurements, charge to mass ratios identified the ubiquitous electron.
The success in identifying “α” through geometric structure suggests, with Tykodi’s thermo-staedic ideas and swimming “panpsychism”, a feasible road to the still unknown structures of electrons…and photons!). To define their size and distance effects can bypass Heisenberg uncertainty to infer resolution of charge and gravity forces at micro- and macro- extents. a baffling road block.

5. Next step to achieve goal(s)? 233 words
Particles such as photons, electrons, and protons as parts of atoms, molecules, and compounds somehow “grow” into bacteria, plants, and animals on the one hand and planets, stars, and galaxies on the other, where size range is vast. Growth is studied in biology, but generally ignored in physics.
Previous works report my creative use of force to define a state of growth, rather than motion. Newton’s force is equal to mass times acceleration. Rearranging, a “Richard’s*” force is length times “stimulation*” (* use identified later). Now, stimulation has units of surface tension, hence my interest in surfaces.
And then, force times length has symmetry to force times mass. The former has units of mechanical energy, but the latter produce “squared mass”, that appears in Newton’s gravity Law. Comparing results, they are in ratio of a presumed mass to length ratio. In MKS units, Einstein’s “c” links M/S, while Newton’s “G”and Plank’s “h” link M, K, and S). Thus, a new independent constant of nature for “M/K” is needed. Does not thinking require energy?
Gravitational attraction is real and assumed positive. Charge units, both positive and negative are man-made to simplify measurements. Geometric structure of the electron and the mass-less(?) photon in MKS units may relate panpsychism into charge and gravity effects. Spectra, chemical and physical effects of ubiquitous electrons and photons are experimentally proven. Can this “language” we observe be interpreted differently?

6. What aspects of project would award $ be used for? (183 words)

The use for the Award would be to buy “time” to reach the goal of these ideas with, input of others, sooner (before my death). Retirement income assures sufficient financial security for my means, but “other” costs are not in the budget. Ideas and mathematics proceed at a snail’s pace for me alone.
A complimentary copy of Mathematica 7 (courtesy of Wolfram for a year, but boggling complexities become too much for me), one “packing density” solution from a doctorate candidate, constructive and destructive criticism from other scientists, and finding other researchers on the web with similar bents have been helpful, but each have their own personal roads and priorities.
The award would accelerate progress by having wherewithal to enlist more active participation. Appropriate mathematical and secretarial ongoing assistance would be particularly helpful and can be contracted.
This pre-application, made public, would invite real interest from those presently involved and others to provide evidence, for and against, the ideas outlined herein. It would be a means to select an appropriately balanced focus group to sharpen specifics in a final application (if requested).
(7) Why are you applying? (239 words)
At age 83, witnessing death of two female soul-mates (one a dog) and being apprized of Dr. Tykodi’s death, my thoughts trend to research a real answer to, “What is, or was, life for?” Religion has been in part, satisfying, but seeking deterministic facts is more satisfying than a probabilistic God.
Panpsychism suggests a peculiar concept, somewhat allied to Stephen Jay Gould’s “NOMA” principle. An EoHT web site invokes thermodynamics of molecules to make life “defunct”. Thermo-staedics require state functions that eliminate equipment dependencies. From this chaos of “life”, I focus on Dr. Tykodi’s core idea, namely steady rates. He cited my thesis work in detail for his first book, barely recognized in new complex symbolic notations to apply for all static-staedic-dynamic processes. (I do not pretend to understand all.)
With thermo-staedics tied into Fuller’s geometry (I have a patent on a toy that relates) and personal swimming experiences, broad means exist to explore panpsychism as a “hidden” and apparently “missed” science.
I wish to pursue it, to honor the memory of Professor Ralph J. Tykodi. To all who stimulated my existence thus far; my family, partners, friends, swimmers, scientists, and a dog, I also wish to express thanks.
Note: re: *. Diane Richards, a crossword expert supplied the word “stimulation” to satisfy my request for a word in symmetry to “acceleration”. We pursued the ideas herein to the time of her death. The “*” simply honors her memory.

Re: Thermodynamics, Swimming, and Panpsychism

Re: Thermodynamics, Swimming, and Panpsychism

You're applying for a grant?

As far as Panpsychism, that's an interesting subject.
The idea there is an energetic center to all matter.

Even if we take out our conscious perceptions and simply imagine alternative states of observation, for all matter. Nonjudgemental exchange constantly occurs between all objects sharing existence. It does come down to the exchange of electromagnetic waves, infrared or heat is certainly a factor. Even a cold object is certainly warmer then absolute zero, and transference is inevitable.

Re: Thermodynamics, Swimming, and Panpsychism

The last, on nonjudgmental exchanges between objects is right on! Panpsychism in it's finest. Thank you, JM.

I'm glad you liked the perspective, an angle from my inner-psyche. Yet now the distance between my thoughts and your mind is nearly zero, that's quantum-physics.

You're a physics professor? That's really neat. You know I have a funny story to tell you. In high school I was a complete swimming geek, and I graduated with honors. Totally absorbing every piece of knowledge I possibly could.

However, my physics professor had an issue with student athletes, he was recovering from heart surgery, a triple bypass, or something. A very overweight man with little patience or tolerance for my personal growth as a student athlete. Anyway, my first exam was the single worst mark I've ever received in school, at only 12%. When I took the exam to the professor he told me the mark was low because I got the definitions wrong. In trying to challenge his perspective on distance/acceleration he became angry with me & started to raise his voice.

So I quit the class.

Only the thing is, I've been acutely obsessed with the natural order of our Universe and have read hundreds of physics related books, gravitating mostly to quantum-physics in particular.

That being said, have you read this quote by me before?

"Space and Time is simply a matter of perspective. In reality, there is only one flowing moment of now, occurring simultaneously across the entire Universe. In that singularity everything is connected through the sub-atomic field."

Re: Thermodynamics, Swimming, and Panpsychism

Originally Posted by Bobinator

Try some meditation, you are over thinking things.

Sorry I didn't mean to sound disrespectful or ignorant but that was truly the thought that popped into my head.
I will goggle the definition of "panpsychism" and try to re-read the post for better understanding!

Re: Thermodynamics, Swimming, and Panpsychism

This is interesting because, as the philosopher Wilfred Sellars has pointed out, the mind-body problem is insoluble given traditional concepts of matter, and a different concept is needed to make possible a resolution.

Re: Thermodynamics, Swimming, and Panpsychism

Re: ViveBene, JM, Bobinator, and guppy..

Thank you all. Should I get the grant, I would appreciate input from swimmers. (That's reason I posted here)..
Been bothered by trying to answer such questions to me as "Why such long swims", How, etc.. So thought I'd try and tie all my background and interests in the title "troika".
I am not holding my breath, tho. They say decision on a final application request by June.

Re: Thermodynamics, Swimming, and Panpsychism

Good luck for whatever motivates you from the inside. In the long run, you have nothing to prove to anyone. Sorry about your losses, quest to find your heart again, it cannot be replaced by mental gymnastics.
You are limited though, you can just swim around in circles in the mental realm, never getting out of that. Go to a higher pool, so to speak. All is more vast if you quest and lean, thru practice, to get above the mental realm. It requires heart inspiration and imagination. Some call that infinate pool, " The Ocean of Love and Mercy". Swim in whatever pool of your choice. Wishing you healing.

Re: Thermodynamics, Swimming, and Panpsychism

FYI: Did not make the final cut on Grant Approval, but am continuing on my own for a bit. Present focus is a thermodynamic analysis of a system (swimmer) immersed in surroundings (water) using internal energy to do the work of propelling through water at a given speed while losing heat to water AND radiating heat to an air temperature (at night) or absorbing heat (at day)
Whew.. A real mental masturbation project..
Input welcomed..

Re: Thermodynamics & Swimming,

Here we go again:
I plan to enter the FQX *contest, and have submitted the following in a blog (among others who are writing) at
*http://www.fqxi.org/community*

I choose the problem of reviewing BASIC assumptions based on "thermodynamics of steady state" ideas of my 1959 research advisor, Dr. Ralph Tykodi* (now deceased) and personal experiences as a marathon swimmer.

In particular, the definition of energy as being associated with only that which we can easily measure and relate to, i.e. mechanical. Thermodynamics relates it to heat (based on temperature) and work (of many forms). Both of these relate to processes which involve chemistry (endo- and exo- thermic processes) and life (something that accomplishes something).

It will take some time and I may not succeed, but I presently see a way out of the macro (gravity) and micro (charge) complications of relativity (classical) and quantum (probability) that physics tries to define and measure.

In short, the the basic assumption of - what energy really is- needs updating
(e.g. for swimming)
* His books may stimulate others along such lines, "Thermodynamics of the Steady State", Macmillan (1967) and "Thermodynamics of systems in non equilibrium states", Thinkers Press (2002)

Re: Thermodynamics & Swimming,

Originally Posted by SdogV

In short, the the basic assumption of - what energy really is- needs updating
(e.g. for swimming)

From the extensive effort I've set forth to swim faster, and the recent negligible results that have followed, I've learned the potential for ones capacity to convert energy and accomplish useful work really depends on genes. But wait, could it have anything to do with what makes me say this in the first place?